Is the color of the iris used for attracting attention from other humans?

[strategicman]

I'm just wondering...is the colored part of the iris used to attract attention? Because anytime somebody is looking at you, and you're turning your head, and you can notice their eyes (out of your entire vision) staring at you. This would normally be very hard. Think about it like this: You have a whole 180 degree vision, and there's one tiny spot in that vision where something is. It's very hard to find it (for example, "where's waldo"). However, with eyes, it's completely simple, and automatic. So I think it's something embedded in our minds and instincts. Perhaps something we used to survive on account that before we could speak, we had to use body language, and it would help us get each other's attention. It's just a guess, and they've probably proven it right, ,and it's making me sound like a retard talking about this, but it's just what I thought of. Thanks for your help.

-strategicman

 

[eburacum45]

In the BBC Production Walking with Cavemen the point was made that Homo Ergaster may have been the first hominid to have white surrounds to the iris-
in some ways, it is easier to determine the direction of glance of another individual by looking at the whites of the eyes;
in contrast to the dark brown surround of other primates...
this adaptation is useful for communication
and can lead to a sense of empathy and identification between individuals.
Link to a Walking with Cavemen Site
__________________
SF worldbuilding at
http://www.orionsarm.com/main.html

 

[Vortexx]

Good explanation!

That's why I have usually no emphaty for people with sunglasses...